Berita

Berita

Sharing experiences and building capacity on marine planning

Marine Spatial Planning Forum for Silk Road and Island Countries

Zhoushan, China7 – 10 June 2018

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is becoming increasingly important due to the multiple uses and users of the seas and covers a wide range of operations and mechanisms for the promotion of a holistic and viable approach to maritime space and resource issues.

As part of the initiative to support capacity building and sharing of experiences with Silk Road and Island Countries, the China Oceanic Development Foundation (CODF) in cooperation with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Zhejiang Province Ocean and Fisheries Bureau, National Ocean Technology Center, Island Research Center, and the First Institute of Oceanography of SOA organised the above forum in Zhoushan. The forum was also a part of the 2018 World Oceans Day (WOD) celebrations.

Participants at the forum

Some 300 participants from 30 countries attended from relevant government ministries and agencies, academe, think tanks, as well as NGOs and industry players. MIMA was represented by Cheryl Rita.

During the meeting

The forum’s three Sessions covered MSP and blue economy development, MSP and integrated ocean management, and technical methods and capacity building. MIMA’s representative spoke at Session 2, introducing a framework for MSP development at the national and regional levels.

Cheryl Rita spoke on an integrated governance framework on MSP

Cheryl emphasised on MSP as a comprehensive and integrated means for analysing and planning current and future uses of the coastal and marine areas. It is a practical way to identify what to do today to ensure that valuable ecosystem goods and services are sustained in the future. There is a huge potential for Malaysia towards managing competing uses of the sea and ensuring sustainable exploitation of marine resources.

The meeting highlighted progress and achievements in China with a focus on the required procedures, legal and policy aspects, and effective implementation of MSP, while speakers from other countries shed light on the status, gaps and challenges, and work in progress in developing MSP for sustainable management of ocean spaces.

Besides MIMA (second from left), representatives from the University Malaysia Terengganu and the National Hydrography Centre of the Royal Malaysian Navy attended the forum.

MIMA is happy to contribute at the regional platform the linkages with MSP as part of the SDG 14 in focusing on the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans through an ecosystem approach.